The Silver Scale
by KimiCapucciny
Summary: Alfred and Matthew are two Alchemists living in a secluded village, away from others. However, when the Prince of the kingdom falls ill, they discover that the only way to create the cure is using the blood of an alchemist and the silver scale of a dragon. Now, Matthew must keep Prince Gilbert alive while Alfred travels with Ivan, the son of a Dragon Slayer, to find the scale.
1. Two Brothers

Don't hate me guys plz I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS IN THE SHOWER OK AND I JUST HAD TO WRITE IT XDDDDDD

I do not own Hetalia! It belongs to Hima-papa!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 1: Two Brothers

The kingdom of Hetalia is a vast and beautiful one. It has from the thickest woods to the highest mountains; to the clearest waters and deepest seas, surrounded by unimaginably green valleys. This kingdom is one of the most ancient ones, its history going back to the darkest times this world has ever seen, its land filled with various individuals. Mythical creatures, which seemed to be all part of fairy-tales, hide from sight in the caves and the forests, and mighty heroes and warriors, victorious in various battles, now rest amongst the common-folk.

This, of course, made it one of the most powerful too, old magic flowing through the roots of the trees, the rivers and its people. Or at least, that's how it had been years ago, when every kingdom fought to establish dominance in their territories.

Magic had been very common back in those days, where Sorcerer or Witch were titles many possessed, both powerful and weak ones. However, as time passed on, these people, who had magic circulating through their veins, started to disappear, because of their deaths and lack of children who could carry on with their powers. Soon, very few 'Magic Wielders', as they called them, were left, and the idea of possessing magic lost interest. That didn't mean, however, that there were no Magic Wielders left.

Near the outskirts of a forest, away from the cities and towns, there's a small and poor village named Caelus. Its inhabitants, humble, kind and rowdy around the edges, care and help each other like one big family, taking turns in tending the fields and watching the animals. Their auto-sufficiency is really helpful, since the merchants only cross their path once a month, and the river that passes through their forest provides them with fishes and water. That's the reason as to why many think they like being away from the other villages; they live happily apart from others, even if they are poor. What they don't know is that a secret rests inside Caelus, one only the villagers know about, for you see, in the tiny house near the start of the forest and the end of the village, there are two twins who are descendants of a family of Magic Wielders.

A family of Alchemists.

This secret is not a dangerous one, and even if it got out, it might not even have an effect in others, but just to be cautious, the villagers never leave the safety of their secluded home. The twins need the calm of a quiet village anyways, so the lack of loud towns and cities helps too.

An Alchemist's magic is of a special kind. They could either use it to transmute elements and brew exotic elixirs, or to control and manipulate the different aspects of nature: water, air, fire and earth. They could be both powerful fighters or skilled crafts-men or medics.

The twins who were born and raised in Caelus are the sons of the powerful Alchemist Alexander Jones, who passed on his magic to them. Along with his wife, a well-known medic named Camila Williams, he taught his sons the arts of alchemy. Sadly, he fell ill with an incurable disease, one not even magic was able to heal, and passed away, their mother dying soon because of her loss, too. The villagers, who considered Alexander and Camila precious friends, and were grateful for the help they lent with their magic and abilities, took care of their sons, who lost their parents at the age of twelve.

Following the steps of his father was Matthew, who studied every day, with the help of the countless of magic books his parents left, to polish his alchemy to the best of his ability; surely to become a great Alchemist one day. He took after his mother, adopting her last name in her honour, because he preferred to specialise in the brewing of curative potions and powerful elixirs. He swore to find the cure to the illness that took his father away from his mother.

Next to him was Alfred, the oldest by two minutes, who would rather improve his skill with his sword than bury his nose inside those 'old and smelly books', and become the best swords-man in the world. Nevertheless, he still practised with his alchemy, but he studied to become an Adept of the four elements, Fire being his main one. He kept his father's last name, since he too was an Adept, and he named his sword (which had been passed on from his great-grandfather to him) after his ancestor, the first Jones, Ley.

Both brothers loved their village with all their heart, and did what they could to help. Matthew was officially the village's doctor, and Alfred went hunting, his skill with the sword being really helpful. They used their magic to help with many things too, such as watering the crops quickly while manipulating the water, or using their alchemy to create fire during the cold winters. They were small tasks, but they helped nonetheless.

What they never suspected, however, was that their powers would have such a great impact in their near future; both in them and the people they would grow to love.

 **~oOoOo~**

''Come on Mattie! I really want to take a bath!''

''Yes, yes, I'm right behind you Alfred.''

The twins were carrying a bucket each, a piece of soap inside Matthew's and two towels inside Alfred's. They, along with most of the young male population of their village (the women had already done this the previous day), were heading to the stream that ran near the side of the river in their forest, most of them looking forward to their bath, while some just wanted to clean their clothes. The twins were going for both, as the eldest twin had a sack of dirty clothes that needed some serious scrubbing slung over his shoulder.

The group moved about the familiar path through the forest, the kids all accompanied by their older brothers or friends, since their fathers and grandfathers would bathe tomorrow. Once the group of kids and teens reached the stream, they all stripped down and got into the water.

Matthew took out the soap and filled his bucket, Alfred doing the same with his. They took turns to drench and clean their hair, and since it was the beginning of spring, they only had to worry about the occasional chilly breeze. They got the bundle of clothes and washed them with their soap one by one, getting rid of the dirt they had, washing their bodies in the process. Working in the fields could give you some nasty stains. After they rinsed their garments they left them down on a rock.

Alfred stepped into the stream and laid his tanned body below the water, since it wasn't very deep. Matthew rolled his eyes at seeing his brother mess around in the water, and smiled when he saw him get up and ran after some kids. He filled his bucket again and poured it over his torso, getting rid of the soapy bubbles. He used his fingers to comb over his maple blonde hair, careful to avoid that stubborn hair that always stood up with a curl, tied his chin-length hair into a small pony tail; his towel around his waist, and trailed after his brother. He made sure to bring Alfred's towel too.

He found his twin running around, his short, honey blonde hair dripping wet, but he too had a stubborn hair, a cow-lick to be precise, that just wouldn't stay down. His sky blue eyes shone brightly, a grin adorning his face as he played tag with three kids, who were yelling in glee.

' _He's still a child even at the age of twenty…'_

Matthew chuckled and threw the towel at the honey blonde's face, ''Stop running around naked and help me dry our clothes, you dork.''

''Sure thing Mattie! Anyone else wants to dry something?'' he asked the group.

Most of them nodded and grabbed their own bundles of clothes and followed the twins. They all placed their garments over Alfred's and Matthew's on top of their rock, forming a pile. Both brothers stood across each other, the wet clothing pile in front of them. At that, all the kids gathered around them, stars in their eyes.

''Look, look! Big Brother Alfred and Big Brother Matthew are about to start!''

The twins extended their hands forward and closed their eyes. Silvery sparkles flew out of their finger-tips and started swarming around, creating a windy sphere between each of their hands. They pushed forward and encased the clothes inside the spheres, combining them to create a bigger one. Each of the vestures swam around inside the currents of wind created by the two Alchemists, and they were dry in no time.

 **~oOoOo~**

Alfred struck again with his sword before quickly moving back, the worn out dummy losing more of its stuffing.

Attack, and recoil, attack, and recoil.

Ley's blade shone proudly against the afternoon sun, reflecting the powerful rays that poured into the earth below. Alfred's hold on the grip didn't falter as he kept hitting and slashing the dummy, picturing it as a real opponent. Building up the momentum, he broke into a rapid sprint, sword at the ready, and made a deep gash in the dummy's middle, cutting it in half. He stood up straight and sheathed his sword into the scabbard attached to his belt.

The first drop of sweat appeared in the line of his hair and he wiped it off, heading inside his house.

Matthew was sitting in the middle of their main room, a circle and lots of different symbols drawn around him in white chalk. He had his small cauldron in front of him, its contents boiling in water with the fire provided by the young man's alchemy. Alfred let his brother do his brewing as he walked towards the kitchen to wash his face.

Their house was a small one, only consisting of three separate rooms: the bath-room, their bed-room and their main room, where they had the kitchen, their dining table, and tons of books perched on equal amounts of shelves.

After he had splashed some water on his face and washed his hands, he turned to watch his brother mutter some words as he poured a liquid of some sort from a glass bottle at his side into the cauldron.

''How's that brew going?''

The maple blonde turned his head towards his brother for a moment before facing his concoction again, ''could be better… I just need to-''

A small explosion went off inside his cauldron and grey smoke filled the room. The twins coughed and fanned their hands to clear their vision. Matthew stood up and took off his glasses, wiping them off on his shirt.

''Damn it…''

Alfred frowned and approached him, ''you'll get it next time!''

''You know that's not true. If it really were to happen it would already have. Alfred, I tried and used every component we had and they all end up like this one. My magic isn't improving either; I've read all of our magic books five times each! At this rate I'll never better my alchemy…'' Matthew had been walking towards their shared bed-room and sat down in his bed, burying his face on his hands and sighing, ''I'm sorry, I just…''

''Hey,'' Alfred said, gently, as he sat down next to his brother and rubbed circles in his back, ''It'll be ok Mattie, you'll get it right, I just _know_ it. Besides, the merchant will be coming next week, so we can buy some new chalks and ingredients and try again!''

Matthew peeked from between his fingers and lifted his head, a smile crawling its way across his lips, violet eyes brightening up, ''thank you, Alfie.''

Said twin grinned, ''No prob, bro!''

The maple blonde snorted, ''I've yet to understand those abbreviations and strange words you like to use.''

''You know you love them, broha; and 'dude' is not a strange word! One of dad's travel journals is full to the brim with words like these, all from the North! And you have to admit some of them sound good.''

''Yeah, yeah,'' he bonked Alfred's head and got up, ''Come on, let's clean my mess up and start on dinner.''

''Ohhh! I want beef tonight!'' the other blonde said excitedly.

The youngest chuckled, ''Then beef it is.''

 **~oOoOo~**

It was late at night. A man paced around the halls of the great Palace of Blau, home of the royal family, a distressed expression stuck on his strikingly young looking face. He held his calloused hands at his back, letting out an exasperated sigh, long, golden hair trailing behind him as he walked. The door to the room he paced in front of opened and another man, much older than the other one, came out.

The first one approached the latter, ''How is he, doctor?''

The elder frowned, ''He can move just fine, the beating of his heart is normal and his reflexes are as sharp as ever. In all honestly, when I looked at him upon entering his room he didn't seem the least bit ill…''

''But you've noticed, right?''

''Indeed; his wounds take too long to heal. I remember that, when I last visited him three weeks ago, he had recently cut his finger with a sheet of paper… but when I felt his wrist to check his pulse I could see the red cut clearly. It wasn't bleeding… but it was still there,'' the doctor said, his voice taking on a worried tone, ''how did you say you noticed this?''

''He was bitten by one of our dogs last month and I could still see the marks the tiny teeth of the animal left,'' he answered, ''I think they might even still be there.''

''Ah, so that's what those dots were…'' the old man muttered to himself before looking at the other again, ''that is not all I noticed, however. I think my eyes were playing with my mind, but when he stays really still, his skin looks… translucent.''

''W… what?''

The doctor opened his mouth to explain, bit was cut off when the other man collected himself, ''How do we cure him? Tell me, doctor, how can I cure my son?!''

''Your Majesty, please excuse me, but you must calm down! There might be an antidote!''

At that, King Otho of Hetalia took a deep breath and straightened his posture, composing his thoughts and rationality, his stoic demeanour coming back, ''Tell me the necessary ingredients and I shall have them collected immediately.''

''That is the problem, my King. The antidote requires two key ingredients for it to be effective, and they are very difficult to obtain.''

''Which are they?''

''The blood of a true alchemist, and the silver scale of a dragon from the north,'' the doctor said.

The King was confused, ''why, in the name God, would you need those things to make a simple brew?''

''Well, to answer that question I must explain my speculations of what illness your son might have,'' he said, and turned around, ''but for this, may I suggest talking in your study? You seem rather stressed, your Majesty, and I recommend drinking some tea. The last thing we need is for you to fall sick too.''

''I agree,'' Otho replied as they moved to continue their conversation somewhere that wasn't in the middle of a hall.

 **~oOoOo~**

Both men sat in the King's study, each holding their respective cup of recently prepared tea. When the doctor saw Otho relax a bit, he decided to talk, ''shall I carry on with my explanation?''

The King set down his cup and nodded, ''please do.''

''Alright, as I said before, I might have found what illness prince Gilbert has. I've never seen something like this before, but I'm sure that the reason his injuries heal at a very slow pace and his skin appears almost like that of a ghost is that this disease takes his life essence away.''

''His life essence? How is that possible?''

''I still don't know, but I think something like this has happened before; I think it had been a disease that wiped off many people, but I'd have to do some research on it. Anyway, the rest of the medics and I think that, with the components I mentioned before, it's very possible to save him.'' the doctor repositioned himself on the cushion he sat at, ''The four elements of alchemy, fire, water, air and earth, all come from the essence of Life found deep within each and every organism, so, in a way, and Alchemist is able to 'control' this essence to manipulate the four elements at their will.''

''This is the key as to why we would need their blood, or at least a small amount of it, because they have a more 'solid', if you may, concentration of life essence flowing through their veins, for alchemy depends on it. This is what makes their magic so unique, too.''

''So the blood would be used to give my son his life essence back? How would you do that?''

''That is where the dragon scale comes in, your Majesty.'' the doctor explained, ''Dragons are known for having an immense amount of power flowing through all their being, and it is said that, if used properly, one scale could heal over one hundred men. Ancient medics said this could be possible because their skin allowed them to heal at an inhuman speed, hence them being so difficult to kill.''

''The reason the scale is so important for the antidote is, that if the alchemist whose blood is used brews it with their magic, it can 'stimulate' the life essence inside the blood along with the healing ability of the scale. This would cause the life essence to physically materialize, making it consumable; so we could mix it with some regular medicine and create the cure for Prince Gilbert's illness. Sadly, the only type of dragon known to have the required power for the scale to be effective is a Silver one, only found in the North, inside the Ice Caves of Ragknol.''

''…I see.''

They sat in tense silence, the rest of the palace asleep except for a couple of servants, until the doctor said, ''We're sure that obtaining the blood is the easiest one, and even if it won't be able to completely heal Prince Gilbert, it will help him stay alive until we find another way to create the antidote,'' the man looked at the King in the eye,'' So, with all due respect, your Majesty, you should hurry and find an alchemist.''

Otho gave a firm nod and stood up, ''Tell Antonio to prepare his men; ten groups of five each, one with himself in it. Make them look for an alchemist, and bring them to me, if possible. As soon as we get one willing to help, we'll stop the search, but until then, may no soldier rest for more than needed. We'll offer a good reward for their aid, but mention the price after they've shown their abilities. They must leave tomorrow as soon as the sun shines upon the road.''

The medic stood too and bowed, ''as you wish, your Majesty.''

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Holy shit you guys this is long! I'll try to make each chapter as long as this one but I won't promise anything lol

So the story starts a bit slow before we get any kind of action or, romantic exchanges XDDDDD BUT! I promise it will be worth the wait~ hehehe

Anyways, I have to say I'm damn proud of this fic, so yeah, WOOOOO!

Hope you enjoyed!

Chau Chau!


	2. Walk down their own Path

Sorry for taking so long on updating!

Yeah, that's all; I don't really have more excuses lel

I do not own Hetalia! It belongs to Hima-papa!

Enjoy!

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Chapter 2: Walk down their own Path

 **~oOo~ One week later ~oOo~**

The weather was lovely; the sun shone brightly, a few clouds lingering in the sky, and a light, pleasing breeze rode the winds. Alfred was sleeping under a tree at the top of a grassy hill by the fields. His chores had been finished already, and he decided to take a nap, fully enjoying how nice the day was.

It wasn't that Caelus didn't see this climate often; in fact, it was sunny almost every day around the land, but lately, there had been tension plaguing his mind. It was as if some kind of force was telling him that something important was surely to happen soon, so the poor alchemist had been disturbed and had a difficult time relaxing. His brother, who was currently at home practising yet again his brewing, had been sensing this dread too, further unsettling Alfred.

So now that everything was calm, and he finally found some peace, he could stay there all day…

''Alfred! Big brother Alfred!''

He opened his eyes and let out a loud yawn, stretching his arms over his head. It was a pity that his moment of repose had been interrupted, but one look at the small boy in front of him drew a smile on his face instantly. His name was Vincent, one of the village's kids, and along with many children of his age, he looked up at Alfred and his brother. Vini, as they all liked to call him, was a giddy fellow; always peppy and smiling, so when the alchemist saw that his usual grin was replaced with a frown, he was confused.

''What is it, little dude? You seem worried!''

The young kid panted a bit from his running and looked at Alfred, ''a big and strange carriage halted in the village, and there are armoured men surrounding it! The chief says they are the King's knights!''

The honey blonde furrowed his eyebrows, ''what could they possibly want?''

''I don't know, but they're scary!''

Alfred stood up and ruffled Vincent's short locks, ''well, there's only one way to find out!''

Grinning, he lifted the boy up and sat him on his shoulders, maintaining a firm grip on his legs, ''don't worry Vini, it's all going to be ok! Now, let's go!'' and with that, he set off sprinting to the village.

Laughing in glee, Vincent clung to Alfred's head, successfully cheering back up, as they sped down the dirt road and the watered crops, courtesy of Alfred's alchemy. Soon, they arrived at the place where all the commotion was at. Everyone seemed to be surrounding the carriage, and once they got closer, the young man saw four armoured men surrounding the vehicle. Setting the boy down on the ground, Alfred took Vini's hand and started walking around, searching for his brother or the boy's mother.

He soon spotted a familiar curl standing out over the villagers and he made his way over to Matthew, his grasp on Vini's hand firm so as to not lose him.

''Mattie!''

The alchemist in question turned towards the call of his name and smiled, relieved, ''Alfred, thank god you're here. These people suddenly appeared and everyone is getting skittish.''

''Do you know where Graham is?''

Matthew shook his head, ''no, but at this rate, he'll show up soon,'' he then noticed Vini standing behind Alfred's legs and smiled, offering his hand to him too. The small child returned the smile, though his eyes shone with nerves and a bit of fear at the idea of strange men showing up out of the sudden, and accepted the gesture. Now, both of his hands were being held by the alchemist brothers, one hand each, and Vini felt more at ease.

Soon after, a man emerged from the carriage, and everyone became silent.

He was tall, his uniform and armour glistening under the sun, giving off an air of authority and calm serenity, yet the smile pasted on his tanned face and the light inside his emerald eyes held a soothing and gentle tone that, somehow, conveyed he meant no harm.

With a swift jump, he landed on the dirt floor, his short brown hair bobbing up and down, and looked around before speaking, his voice friendly and strong, so as to get his message across the group of people, ''hola, we are sorry to come here unannounced, but we only ask for your attention, and if possibly, your assistance on an important and dire matter. We would like to speak with the chief.''

Whispers spread like a wild-fire, surprised gasps and hurried shushes plaguing the increasingly anxious villagers, and the two twins glanced at each other in worry, their grip on Vini's hands unconsciously tightening.

''What is this entire racket about?!''

Suddenly, the people of Caelus opened a path between their bodies, letting a very old man walk slowly towards the carriage. His wrinkly face was set on an ever present scowl, a long, white beard falling from his chin, swaying lightly as he walked, his back arched. The tanned man watched with interest the change of demeanour of the whole village once this man appeared, their postures suddenly becoming rigid and controlled, looking at the elder with respect.

An air of wisdom and intelligence surrounded the man, and when his grey eyes made contact with his green ones, a chill went down his spine, and he knew.

This was the chief.

''Graham, sir, these people demand to speak with you!'' one of the villagers said with urgency.

''I know you fool, I'm old, not deaf!'' Graham answered, turning once more to the tanned soldier, ''my name is Grahamlennius Ferrnergale, and I am the Chief of Caelus, but you may direct to me as Graham,'' he squinted his eyes, ''and who are you, young man?''

''I'm Antonio Fernández Carriedo, the second in command of his Majesty's Army, and we have come all the way from the capital to deliver a message from the King himself.''

''Second in command!''

''A message from the King?''

''What do they want?''

''SILENCE!''

The quiet mutters stopped at the order, Graham's warning glare enough to shut their mouths instantly.

''And tell me, Carriedo, why is it that you wish to speak with me?''

Antonio's expression became serious, ''the subject of this matter is no new decree, or a mere change of rules, and it must be attended to as soon as possible.''

Graham stroked his beard in thought before glaring, ''you think I would keep a secret as important as the one you claim this message to be from my people? If the King wants to deliver a message then so be it, but I will not listen unless my people is given the chance to be informed too.''

Antonio was left speechless, and had to order his soldiers to remain positioned and not arrest the man for his words. He held Graham's stare, determined to change the elder's mind, but those grey eyes held so much knowledge, so much experience and sagacious stubbornness, that he found himself looking away, knowing he had no other no other choice but to concede to his request.

Clearing his throat, Antonio began, ''two months ago, the day following the Holy Veil, the King's oldest son, Prince Gilbert, was cursed with an unknown illness.''

Matthew looked over to his brother, his brows furrowed with unease. Alfred returned the look, but kept listening.

''Medic after medic was called by his Majesty, but alas, no cure could be found. Prince Gilbert was sure to die. That is, until one week ago, our Royal Doctor, the best medic in the whole kingdom, came upon an elixir to prolong the Prince's health, a way to keep him alive until the cure could be found. However, in order to make this concoction, a key element is needed, one that is very difficult to obtain.''

Graham frowned, ''is this the reason as to why you travelled here?''

Antonio nodded, ''yes.''

''Then turn around and leave, this village is poor and has no exotic herbs or ingredients to offer.''

The green eyed man didn't falter, ''that is the problem; this element is not a plant nor an object. What we're looking for is the blood of an Alchemist.''

Alfred flinched, feeling his heart freeze, his eyes widening behind his glasses, and even without turning, he knew his brother was feeling the same fear as him.

Graham kept his cool demeanour and glared, ''explain yourself, young man.''

Antonio felt the tension settle, and realized he should have worded himself better, ''ah, no, it's not like that! We really mean no harm! We do not wish for anyone's death!'' at this, the twins relaxed, even if just a little, ''the amount of blood needed for this brew is small, so no threatening hurt would come to the Alchemist, if we were to find one. In addition, the King himself ordered us not to force anyone to do it, only those who wish to cooperate will do so.''

Closing his eyes, Graham stroked his beard again before answering again with caution, ''so, if you were to find an Alchemist who wished to work with you, only a small fraction of their blood would be needed so that you can leave?''

The Second Commander frowned and sighed, ''that is another problem. The elixir will work, but just for a while. More would be needed to keep Prince Gilbert alive, so in order to guarantee a constant income of the brew, a solid source of blood, in this case, the Alchemist, is needed.''

''In other words, the Alchemist would need to go back to the palace with you,'' Graham said.

''Yes. Of course, we will provide with a reward for their help, and make sure their stay is top class, but yes, they must come with us.''

Everything was silent. No one dared speak. The twins were flabbergasted, looking at each other with unreadable expressions. Never, _ever_ in their life would they have thought they could be of such importance. They were aware that Alchemists weren't common, but them being the key to keep the _Prince of their Kingdom alive_? It was unimaginable.

''Vini, go look for you mother, alright little man?'' Alfred whispered.

With a nod, Vini scampered off, leaving the two brothers alone between the villagers. Many were looking at them from the corner of their eyes from time to time, but made no move to approach them in fear of appearing suspicious.

Alfred looked at Matthew, an unspoken action that asked for guidance on what to do. Should they help? Should they stay quiet? Would it be better to ignore the matter or speak up and go with Antonio? The life of the prince was at stake, but they didn't know if they were ready to leave their village.

''Mattie.''

''Yes?''

Taking a deep breath, Alfred looked at his brother in the eye, his expression so serious and resolved that it almost scared Matthew, ''I'll leave the decision to you.''

Even though he hadn't specified, the maple blonde knew exactly what his brother meant, and even though he was puzzled beyond belief as to why his brother, the one who would usually make these rash decisions, leave their actions in his hands.

Nevertheless, Mattie nodded and closed his eyes, beating himself internally on what they should do.

Judging by Antonio's expression, they hadn't had any luck finding and Alchemist, and even though he looked calm and friendly, he could see the desperation behind those emerald eyes.

They truly needed an Alchemist.

This decision was stupid; completely, utterly stupid. They were about to leave the only place they had known their entire and travel all the way to the capital, and God knows when they would be back.

Yet… Matthew couldn't ignore the small feeling of excitement inside of his heart, the part of him that desired to learn more about the world blossoming.

They had been waiting for this kind of opportunity their whole lives, and it was standing right there for them. To hell with the money, they had their biggest adventure laid out for them!

The younger twin looked back at his brother, who looked back expectantly, the same emotions swimming inside his mind, and he decided. Mattie smiled, extending his hands towards Alfred, and the honey blonde knew what they were going to do. He tightly grasped his brother's hand and smiled back encouragingly.

They were together in this.

Holding his head up, Matthew made his way to Graham, his twin trailing close behind, and stood with his back straight in front of Antonio, Alfred doing the same at his side. The former soldier was confused when he saw them, wondering what they wanted.

''We would like to assist.'' Matthew said.

Immediately, the whole village erupted in mutters and whispers, some torn between stopping the brothers and letting them talk. Even Graham looked bewildered.

''Matthew, Alfred, what, in the name of God, are you doing?!''

Ignoring the elder, Mattie straightened his back, ''my name is Matthew Williams, and this is my brother, Alfred F. Jones, and we're both Alchemists.''

Everyone's eyes widened. Antonio was left almost speechless, and Graham seemed to be fuming.

''You flaunting _idiots_!'' Graham exclaimed, ''do you have any idea of what you've done!?''

''Shut it, old man! We're not kids anymore, we know damned well what we're doing!'' Alfred shouted.

''You _do not_ talk to me that way, you little brat! We've kept your secret for years in order to protect you! And you've gone and revealed yourself as if it were nothing!''

''And we're tired of living in the shadows! For the first time in our lives our powers could actually make a change! Even if it's just with our blood!''

At this point, everyone looked at the heated argument with surprise and worry, even Antonio. They had never seen the young Alchemists this way.

''Do you even know what is out there?! The dangers that await, just beyond those hills?!''

That was enough.

''The King is asking for help to save his _son_! There is no way we'll just stand here with our arms crossed! We will help, whether you like it or not!'' Matthew replied, his voice equally loud, leaving Graham completely quiet. Never had he seen the usually quiet twin shout that way, and even though he was still angry, he felt a twinge of pride.

He kept his grey gaze locked with the blue and violet ones, daring them to look away in defeat as Antonio had done. Once you looked away from Graham, it's over, and he knew the brothers always lost against his watch.

But they didn't.

Their eyes didn't falter, they never broke their gaze, a fire burning behind those clear pools of colour, longing so much to be set free from the imaginary cage that had settled around the village; to go out and live, that Graham realized how determined they were.

And just how much they resembled their parents.

He let out a long sigh, looking away first, surprising the twins and the villagers, and directing his eyes to the sky.

' _Alexander, Camila, it seems like your boys have turned into men right before my eyes. I know this is what you two would have liked, but I'll be damned if I won't miss these brats.'_

Walking towards the two brothers, Graham raised both his hands and bonked each twin in the head, hard.

''Ow!''

''What the hell, man?!''

''Silence! You two went against my word and talked to me as if I were your grandfather! Such manners are not appropriate for Royal Alchemists!''

They were just about to complain until their brains registered his words.

''Eh?''

''Graham, you…''

Scoffing, the older man turned around and started walking away, his hands clasped together at his back.

''Don't come running back if you regret your decision, because I swear I will chase you both myself if you come back home before that prince is back to health!'' and with those words, he left towards his house.

Slowly, big grins appeared in the brother's faces, ''with that back of yours, old man? You'll never get us with your walking stick!'' Alfred laughed.

Shaking his head at the eldest, Graham let a small smile of his own slip into his face.

' _Take care, you damned kids.'_

Turning back towards Antonio, who looked beyond relieved, and smiled.

''You can count with our help.''

The soldier let out a breath he hadn't know he was holding and bowed, ''the Kingdom is forever grateful for your assistance.''

A little flustered at the action, Matthew's confidence seemed to finally lose its effect, and he stiffly bowed back, elbowing his brother to do the same.

The villagers exchanged concerned looks, but deep down they all knew this day would have arrived, so they opted to stay and watch the most of their precious Alchemists.

Standing straight again, Antonio ordered his men to bring two small boxes and two little pieces of chalk. He handed each box and chalk to each brother and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, ''I forgot to mention this but, uh, we need you two to prove your real Alchemists. It's not that we do not trust you, amigos, but we must be cautious.''

''No problem, dude!''

''We understand.''

While they inspected what was inside their boxes, Antonio tilted his head.

' _D-dude?'_

The task was simple. The boxes were filled with salt, and using the chalk they were given, they had to turn it into sugar, as Antonio had instructed. Each drew a small pentagram on the lid of their wooden box, and once they were finished, they gently rested their right hands on top of it, muttering an incantation.

Antonio watched in wonder as the boxes started to glow a soft, light-blue hue, and before he knew it, both Alchemists opened the boxes and presented him with them.

He stuck his fingers inside each one and tasted the small, white crystals, and when his tongue felt the familiar sweetness, he smiled in approval.

''¡Muy bien! You've officially proved that you're Alchemists.''

The brothers exchanged happy grins, and the villagers smiled fondly.

''Now, the last thing left is for you two to sign this,'' the brunette said, taking out a scroll from the inside of the carriage. He let the twins read it and then offered them a quill to sign.

''Hmm… yes, I see… Mattie, you read it!''

Sighing, Matthew went over the scroll. It was an official document that stated that they were willingly lending them their help, and that they would receive their reward, also stating that they were under the care of the King. Nodding, they each signed and returned the scroll.

With a cheery smile, Antonio turned to the boys, ''Well, now that it's all settled, you two may want to pack your belongings and say bid your goodbyes. We will wait here.''

''Alright.''

''Got it!''

And so, they turned to walk back to their home, only to finally realize the whole village had been there.

''O-oh…''

''H-hi guys… uh…''

They stood there, feeling slightly guilty that they had decided to desert them all of the sudden. They were, after all, a big help on the village, and they would surely miss everyone.

Vini suddenly appeared and walked up to them, hugging their legs as tightly as he could. Soon, all the kids in the village ran up to them and joined the hug, some teens, adults and even elders going to embrace them too. They all smothered them with kisses and words of love, the occasional teasing and many tears.

Soon, the twins couldn't hold their resolve and broke down too, hugging everyone back and thanks them for everything, their faces wet with tears and snot.

It was after a solid twenty minutes that they were finally released and they reached their home. Once they closed their door, they turned to each other.

''…''

''…''

''Did we just…?''

''Yeah…''

They were both silent for a long while.

Finally, after all these years, they were leaving Caelus. It was scary, even more so now that they finally realized their actions, but they knew they couldn't back down now.

Alfred, pent up with the quiet, let out a battle cry, startling his younger brother, ''ALRIGHT! We're gonna go save this Prince's ass!''

Letting out a giggle, Matthew nodded, ''yeah, but we won't be saving anyone's asses unless we start to pack.''

''You're right, Mattie!''

With a small smirk, Matthew passed his brother, ''when aren't I?''

''…hey!''

After a bit of messing around and finally coming down from the clouds, both brothers took out their only bags, which were two old, worn-out satchels their parents had given them when they were very little, and started packing the few belongings they had.

Alfred made sure to pack his spare clothes and boots first, his fairy tales, two alchemy books and the small trinkets and gadgets his father had gifted him with. Of course, he made sure to bring his beloved sword, Ley, too. There was no way in heaven he was going to leave it behind.

Matthew, however, decided to pack his alchemy and study books, his small cauldron, and the box of foreign herbs his mother had passed on to him, before he threw in his spare clothes. Luckily, he had less garments to worry about, since Alfred was the one who always needed more every time he teared them during his training, and he finally deemed his bag completed.

Both twins brought their belongings to their main room, where they packed some utensils and a lunch, since they were feeling pretty hungry, and nodded in unison. Each brother took his cloak, Alfred's being a dark blue while Matthew's was a reddish brown, and turned to give their home a last glance.

''Oh my gosh, I almost forgot!'' Matthew exclaimed, returning to his room before coming back with two objects.

The first one was his treasured pendant, made out of the Blood of the Ancient Tree, which rests in the middle of the kingdom, surrounded by a magical forest. The sap had solidified into a beautiful, amber crystal, and it had belonged to their grandfather. Mattie carefully strapped it to his neck, the weight of the pendant familiar against his collar bone.

The second item was a painting of their family, when they were eight years old.

That year, a traveling artist had visited Caelus and had done paintings of the villagers and the small town itself all day, and the family of Alchemists had decided to have one too. The canvas was big, but with the help of his magic, Matthew trans mutated it into a much smaller version of about the size of his books.

They looked at it with fondness and nostalgia, soft smile gracing their features, before Matthew put it inside his bag and turned to Alfred.

''So, shall we go?''

Alfred nodded, the biggest grin forming on his lips, ''absolutely!''

And with one last look at their house, both brothers embarked on what was meant to be the biggest adventure of their lives.

* * *

 **IT IS DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE**

 **YOU GUYS I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING LMAO**

Anyways, here we have it! Both brothers are finally leaving Caelus! Next time, they'll finally meet the Royal Family, and possibly, some interesting peers too!

Thank you so much for reading~!

Chau Chau!


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